Culture Basics
What are the three primary architectural styles discussed in this unit?
Traditional, modern, postmodern
What is the term for the point of origin at which a cultural trait begins?
Cultural Hearth
Define subculture.
Smaller cultural group within a larger dominant culture.
What is the most widely spoken language family on Earth?
Indo-European
Briefly explain the differences between pop culture and folk culture.
Pop = widespread, starts in wealth/population centers, constantly changing
Folk = Regional, usually rural, does not spread or change
Define relocation diffusion and give an example.
People move and bring their culture with them (no new adopters-- just relocated ones)
Define cultural landscape.
The observable human impact on a place.
Give an example of material and non-material culture.
Material = physical objects given value (architecture, clothing)
Non-Material = ideas and beliefs (holidays, social norms)
Cultural traits are organized into what three categories?
200 BONUS POINTS: Give an example of each.
Artifacts
Sociofacts
Mentifacts
What is a creole culture?
Type of culture created from the blending of several others.
Define the concept of placelessness.
Standardized development and shared global culture can make landscapes look/feel the same (loss of unique cultural feeling)
What is the difference between a universalizing and ethnic religion?
100 BONUS POINTS: Give an example of each type.
Universalizing = seek global appeal (Christianity, Islam)
Ethnic = tied to specific groups/places (Hinduism, Judaism)
Explain the key differences between ethnocentrism and cultural relativism.
Ethnocentrism = judging a culture by your own cultural standards
Cultural Relativism = understanding a culture by its own standards
1. How did culture diffuse historically? Give a real-world example. (300 points)
2. How does culture primarily diffuse today? (100 points)
1. Colonialism/Imperialism/Trade/Migration
2. Technology (Internet)
Define sequent occupancy.
Successive societies leave distinct imprints on a place.
What is the difference between acculturation and assimilation?
Acculturation = society adopts certain cultural traits but remains unique
Assimilation = society adopts the dominant culture, loses distinctiveness
Define centripetal and centrifugal forces and give a real-world example of each.
Centripetal Forces = build unity
Centrifugal Forces = cause division
Define stimulus diffusion, hierarchical diffusion, and contagious diffusion and give an example for each.
Stimulus = trait spreads but is altered to fit local culture
Hierarchical = top-down spread from people/places of power
Contagious = rapid and widespread through cultural contact
Define syncretism.
Blending of two or more cultures or cultural traits into a new cultural system.
What is a lingua franca, and what is the most common of these today?
LF = common language used among speakers of different native tongues
English is the most common global LF today.